Sexual misconduct and rape allegations are at a high right now, even in an industry that you might overlook–pornography.
Ron Jeremy (if you don’t know who he is, he’s just about the biggest man in the business of pornography to date) has been accused by multiple women over a thirty year period. Here are some of the accusations against him:
Former adult film star Jennifer Steele alleges that Jeremy sexually assaulted her twice in 1997. Firstly, he penetrated her during a photoshoot the two of them were involved in that stimulated sex, and then again later he raped her after they returned to their apartment.
Webcam model Ginger Banks has accused him of inappropriate groping.
Porn star Jay Taylor claims Jeremy digitally violated her at an expo in 2013.
Adult star Danica Dane accused Jeremy of sexual assault during an expo in 2014–this was backed up by three of her friends.
Julia Ann has accused Jeremy of forcefully giving her a leg massage without her consent in 2011.
A woman named Ann Arbor accused Jeremy of raping her in 1997.
Another woman accused him of groping and signing her breast without consent at an Expo.
Ron Jeremy has since been banned from the upcoming AVN Adult Entertainment Expo and Awards in Las Vegas. They claimed that he violated their code of conduct even though Jeremy denies all the accusations. He released a statement during a Rolling Stones interview:
“I have never and would never rape anyone.
I get paid to show up to there shows, events, and photo shoots and touch the people and they touch me.
They want autographs, pictures, to flirt with me, physically grab me in different areas (usually my clothed penis), they ask me to touch them and many ask to have me sign their boobs.
When I take photos with fans and other performers at these conventions, signings or events, I do sometimes kiss people on the lips or the cheek, sign boobs or whatever they want. There is ‘put on’ flirting and touching for the photos.
This is exactly what people pay me for at conventions…. If you watch these videos that Ginger Banks put out of me ‘groping,’ you see that everyone in the videos is laughing and ‘groping’ too. That I’m not running up to them, they come to me.
I have never been charged nor spent one day in court for any of this. And these are old allegations. Check anything about me appearing in court or jail is public record…. The police who looked into the groping charges have always said that they watch the video from the event or whatever and that I did nothing wrong or illegal. They then ask if I want to press charges against the people making false accusations. I never have.
But seriously, if you were going to be around Ron Jeremy, wouldn’t you assume that I’d be a little bit touchy feely? Yes. This is what I do for a living. I am not Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K., Weinstein, or Cosby…. If anyone was ever made to feel uncomfortable by ANY of our interactions, I’m deeply sorry. That was never my intention and it breaks my heart in half….I have never raped anyone. If anyone continues those claims, that is defamation. I will sue them in court.”
Both Ron Jeremy and the women accusing him seem pretty serious. Not sure how this will turn out but we shall have to leave it to the courts.
For more on sexual misconduct, check out Natalie Portman’s Me Too Story of Sexual Terrorism at Age 13.
